Each week I write about various topics, featuring book summaries and occasional commentary on other subjects. I often write about running, since I’ve done over 200 races including 37 marathons. My blog isn’t opinion-based; it’s informational and entertaining. I also present interesting videos and pictures that I’ve taken over the years.
I started this weekly send-out in late March as the pandemic was changing our way of life. Like everyone else, my activities were sharply reduced, including my work, so I had free time with not much to do. Bob in the Basement in Boston was initially sent out to a few friends, with the distribution list expanding over time. Creating a blog makes distribution easier.
Over the past 10 months, I considered about 30 books. These are not reviews, although I do give you my take on the book. They’re relatively robust summaries of what I read. My daughter said they remind her of Cliff Notes from college, not that I ever used those instead of actually reading the books for my classes. You can access the full reviews by going to (FILL). You also can go to (FILL) and look at the entire weekly package that included the review. If you go there, you'll see the pictures and videos that went out that week as well as some other goodies.
The books:
Don’t Make Me Pull Over by Richard Ratay, a Baby Boomer’s recounting of the countless road trips his family took in the 1970s and 80s.
The Swamp Fox: How Francis Marion Saved the American Revolution by John Oller, a retelling of the tale of Francis Marion, also known as the the Swamp Fox, who, with a ragtag band of locals, stymied the British forces in South Carolina and helped the rebels win the war.
The British Are Coming by Rick Atkinson, a detailed but sometimes-humorous account of the first two years of the American War for Independence
Camelot's Court: Inside the Kennedy Whitehouse by Richard Dallek, a book that goes under the hood and reveals some interesting facts about JFK and his tenure as president.
Saving America’s Cities: Ed Logue and the Struggle to Renew Urban America in the Suburban Age by Lizabeth Cohen, which explores the fascinating life of Edward Logue who redefined urban development in New Haven, New York City and Boston from the 1950s to 1980s.
The Hardest Job in the World: The American Presidency by John Dickerson, a history of how the presidency has changed over the years.
I’ll Push You by Patrick Gray and Justin Seesuck, an inspirational story about how one friend pushed another in a wheelchair 600 miles over mountains
Leadership in Turbulent Times by Doris Kearns Goodwin, which focuses on the leadership styles of Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Franklin Roosevelt, and Lyndon Johnson
The Big Fella: Babe Ruth and the World He Created by Jane Levey, a book that gives us a sense of how the county was changing during Babe Ruth’s career. As a Red Sox fan, this was a tough book too read.
The Great Influenza: The Story of the Deadliest Pandemic in History by John Barry, which is all you need to know about the 1918 Spanish Flu which didn’t come from Spain
And in the End: The Last Days of The Beatles by Ken McNab, a fascinating dive into the last two years of the most famous band in history
Return of the Moguls by Dan Kennedy, an analysis of what can be done to make sure that we continue to have aggressive news coverage even as newspapers fade from the scene
Faster: How a Jewish Driver, an American Heiress, and a Legendary Car Beat Hitler’s Best by Neal Bascom, the story of an unlikely crew that put a team together that defeated Nazi Germany’s world-class racing team.
Countdown 1945: The Extraordinary Story of the Atomic Bomb and the 116 Days that Changed the World by Chris Wallace, a look back at the tumultuous five months between the death of FDR in April and the dropping of the atomic bomb on Hiroshima in August of 1945.
Tightrope by Nicholas Kristof and Sheryl WuDunn, a n examination of the forces that brought the United States to where it is today, including the disappearance of good manufacturing jobs. Increasing opioid use, and a dissolution of community ties.
Alienated America by Timothy Carney, who is on the conservative side of the aisle, who looked at the roots of our national political paralysis, primarily the weakening of community institutions over many decades.
The Red and the Blue by Steve Kornacki, who tends to see things from a more liberal perspective. He makes a pretty good case that the seeds for the polarization of the country and te rise of Donald Trump can be traced back to Bill Clinton and Newt Gingrich's policy battles in the 1990s, which continued through the 2000's.
Ordinary Grace by William Kent Kreuger, a coming-of-age story set in 1961 in rural Minnesota that looks at life through the unexplained death of a thirteen-year old.
Talking to Strangers by Malcom Gladwell, in which the author explores why we believe what some people say and disbelieve the words of others.
The Stand by Stephen King, his classic epic novel about a plague that wipes out 99% of the world and divides the survivors into camps of good and evil.
The Vagabonds by Jeff Guinn, which looks at the lives of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford through the prism of the summer vacations they took by car when auto travel was just beginning to become popular.
The Splendid and the Vile by Eric Larson, which chronicles how England responded to the 57 days of German bombing runs that was designed to break the back of the Brits. It didn't work.
The End of October by Larry Wright, a work of fiction that describes what could happen if a super-plague erupts and goes around the world. The consequences are much worse that what we are experiencing with COVID.
Janis by Holly George Warren, a description of the life and times of Janis Joplin. She evolved from a bar singer in Texas to a rock superstar but her demons and insecurities did her in.
A Furious Sky: The Five-Hundred Year History of America’s Hurricanes by Eric J. Dunn. Everything you ever wanted to know about hurricanes and ho we forecast them.
Demagogue: The Life and Long Shadow of Senator Joe McCarthy by Larry Tye, an examination of one of the most successful demagogues in US history, Wisconsin Senator Joseph McCarthy, who fabricated a a Red Scare that convinced some of the people for some of the time that communists had infiltrated our government.
Predicting the Next President by Professor Alan Lichtman, who has correctly predicted every presidential winner since 1984, including Donald Trumps 2016 win.
Short Nights of the Shadow Catcher by Timothy Egan, a biography of Edward Curtis who a hundred years ago photographed Indian tribes all over America and created a lasting history of Native Americans contributions to our culture.
If Then: How the Simulmatics Corporation Invented the Future by Jill Lepore, which recounted the trials and tribulations of the 1960s company that was the precursor to our contemporary digital world,
Buy Me, Boston: Local Ads and Flyers: Volume 1 by Brian Coleman, a visual history of the advertising and flyers that were used to market events to the people of Boston between the1960s and the 1980s.
The Spy Masters by Chris Whipple, which recounts the history of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 1960 to the now, warts and all.
No Time Like the Future: An Optimist Considers Mortality by Michael J. Fox, which looks back at his time living with Parkinson's disease and making the most of a challenging situation.
Metropolis by Ben Wilson, which is detailed history of cities in the life of our world beginning with Uruk in Mesopotamia in 4000 BC and ending with Lagos, Nigeria, which is projected to be the largest city in the world in two decades.
Bad Blood by the Wall Street Journal's John Carrreyrou which is a devastating tale of duplicity and arrogance around Theranos, a Silicon Valley medical device startup, which never produced a successful blood testing machine over its15 years operating, despite raising $9 billion dollars in venture capital.
A Woman of No Importance by Sonia Purnell, which brings to life the story of Virginia Hall, a lady from Baltimore who went over to Europe and became a legend for her work with the French resistance against the occupying German army.
More to come...
